Five Must Have Supplies For Your Disaster Preparedness

Natural disasters are becoming ever more frequent these days. And no matter where you live or what type of disasters you may be facing, there are some basic supplies everyone should have on hand “just in case”. Here are five things that you should always stock and store to be prepared in the event of a disaster.

Water

Water is the most important and most urgent item on the list. You can make it a surprisingly long time without food, power, and all sorts of other stuff. However, you can’t make it very long without a reliable source of drinking water.

We’re so reliant on our faucets that it’s easy to forget that we should keep a storage of water for a few days whenever something happens. One of the first things you should do when you’re prepping for an imminent emergency is to store some water. Buy a few gallons at the store or fill up containers at home. Keep a water filter or a little Clorox on hand to keep water drinkable for longer time periods.

Non-Perishable, Ready-To-Eat Food

While we can go a surprisingly long period of time without food, involuntary fasting isn’t fun. Keep a few ready to eat foods in your pantry at all times including peanut butter, crackers, protein bars, and canned foods that you can eat without heating. Having canned foods with a pull tab is also a great idea in case you lose electricity.

It helps to stick with items that you eat on a regular basis, so you can rotate through these food staples and don’t risk having it go bad. It’s also a good idea to start stocking up during hurricane season or the winter when snow storms are likely to occur. If you have to evacuate, bring some of your emergency food supply with you, as stores might be out of basic necessities and restaurants may be closed.

Weather Radio

The next important item that makes it on the list is a small battery-operated weather radio with a set of spare batteries. This is important because you will need the latest weather and government updates as well as news. Don’t rely on your phone and the internet as your only source for information. The network could go down or overload.

Flash Light and Batteries

Candles are good if your power goes out, but they also bring the risk of setting your surroundings on fire. So, make sure your kit includes a flashlight for each family member and spare batteries. Multi-use flashlight are great in situations like this because you can use them as a phone charger, radio, gas cutter, etc. Headlamps are also helpful when you’re trying to move around get stuff done.

First Aid Kit

The size of your first aid kit will depend on the size of your family. Start with a standard kit available at your local store and then add any medications you and your family might need or take. Check this kit and the rest of your disaster supplies regularly to make sure you’re prepared when you need to grab your supplies and leave quickly. If you’re looking for a list of what to add to your kit, you can download our
Basic First Aid Kit Checklist.